John Bennett Collection

Transcription

1 John Bennett Collection Repository Charleston County Public Library, Charleston Archive. 68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC Title John Bennett Collection Dates Extent 8 linear feet Creator Bennett, John, Language English Scope and Content The materials in the John Bennett Collection span roughly ca to ca They include typescript fragments of his novels Master Skylark and Barnaby Lee. Other materials include published, as well as original, silhouettes from his book The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo (1928). There is one illustration from Barnaby Lee by artist Clyde O. DeLand, as well; and original and published photographs of John Bennett (including some by Doris Ulmann). Also included are some miscellaneous silhouettes, and works of art by Bennett, a few letters, and some biographical information. His typewriter and typewriter table are also part of the collection. Copies of Bennett's published works, including first editions of Master Skylark, The Treasure of Peyre Gaillard, and The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo, are located in the Rare Books Collection of the Charleston Archive. Administrative/Biographical History John Bennett was born in Chillicothe, Ohio in By the time he visited Charleston in 1898, he was a well-known children's writer. His books Master Skylark (1897) and Barnaby Lee (1902) would eventually be considered children's classics. He married Susan Smythe of Charleston and became a permanent resident in He aided the founding of the Charleston County Public Library (1931) and helped prosper the fledgling institution. He became "godfather" of the Children's Room of the Public Library; it bore his name for a number of years in its buildings on Rutledge Avenue and later King Street. Over the years he donated photographs of himself, bits of original manuscripts, original artwork, books, and a variety of other materials. John Bennett died in Charleston in

2 Related Archival Materials The largest collection of John Bennett's papers is in the South Carolina Historical Society, Charleston, SC; another collection is in the Ross County Historical Society, Chillicothe, OH. The Doris Ulmann photographs of John Bennett are part of a set now in the South Carolina State Museum. Publication Note These and other archival materials utilized in Harlan Greene's Mr. Skylark: John Bennett and the Charleston Renaissance (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2001). Conditions Governing Access and Use Collection is open for research. Source of Acquisition Unknown Citation [Identification of the Specific Item], John Bennett Collection, Charleston Archive, Charleston County Public Library, Charleston, SC. Processing Processed 2009, K. Gray and H. Greene. Subject Headings Authors, American--20 th century Personal Names Bennett, John,

3 Collection Outline I. Galley Proofs Folder 1: Rolled galley proof of Master Skylark, with author notations BOX 1 2: Rolled galley proof of Barnaby Lee, heavily edited and illustrated by author and Tudor Jenks, St. Nicholas Magazine editor and author (1 of 2) 3: Rolled galley proof of Barnaby Lee, heavily edited and illustrated by author and Tudor Jenks, St. Nicholas Magazine editor and author (2 of 2) 4: Galley proof of Master Skylark: Will Shakespeare's Ward, dramatization by Edgar White Burrill and John Bennett; heavily edited by Bennett 5: Fragment of galley proof of "A Jest of Little John" from St. Nicholas Magazine with edits by John Bennett II. Serialization of Barnaby Lee Folder 6: Paper labeled by John Bennett to wrap contents of Box 2 BOX 2 7: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Nov (Installment #1) 8: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Dec (Installment #2) 9: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Jan (Installment #3) 10: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Feb (Installment #4) 11: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Mar (Installment #5) 12: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Apr (Installment #6) 13: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. May (Installment #7) 14: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Jun (Installment #8) 15: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Jul (Installment #9) 16: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Aug (Installment #10) 17: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Sep (Installment #11) 18: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Oct (Installment #12) 19: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Nov (Installment #13) 3

4 III. Fragments of Novels 20: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Dec (Installment #14) 21: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Jan (Installment #15) 22: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Feb (Installment #16) BOX 3 23: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Mar (Installment #17) 24: "Barnaby Lee." St. Nicholas Magazine. Apr (Installment #18) Folder 25: Fragmentary typescript of first, or early draft of first chapter of Barnaby Lee, with holograph corrections and additions, and labeled envelope 26: Fragments and assembled pieces of various drafts of Barnaby Lee, with holograph additions and edits; very brittle condition 27: Two cyanotypes of Clyde O. DeLand illustrations for Barnaby Lee 28: Fragments of various drafts of Master Skylark, with calligraphic envelope by author; very brittle condition 29: Fragments of various drafts of Master Skylark, with periodic notations of which installment of St. Nicholas Magazine the piece is from 30: St. Nicholas Magazine. Feb. 1897, containing chapters of Master Skylark 31: Postcards of English scenes, many relating to Master Skylark. 32: Calligraphy by John Bennett and exhibit labels from Charleston County Public Library's showing of materials related to Master Skylark 33: Newspaper clipping, re film of Master Skylark IV. Miscellaneous Writings and Artwork Folder 34: "His Father's Price." Pages from St. Nicholas Magazine with handwritten notes by author 35: "The Little Messenger", Vol. I, No. 1 (24 Aug 1878) and Vol. IV, No. 1 (26 Jul 1881). Chillicothe, Ohio juvenile newspaper co-edited by John Bennett and others 36: "The Magnificat of the Hills" typescript poem decorated by John Bennett 4

5 37: Printed copy of Bennett's drawing (1896) of Salt Sulphur Springs, WV 38: Photograph of John Bennett's painting of Madame Margot's cottage 39: Photocopy of printed silhouette (1945) by John Bennett V. Biographical and Related Materials VI. Oversize Artwork 40: Correspondence of John Bennett to staff and children, Charleston County Public Library, with envelopes and card (1936, 1941) 41: Photocopies and mimeographs of essays on John Bennett, including one by Janie Smith, Children's Librarian, and a humorous "Appendix to the Complete Works of John Bennett," a spoof of his appendectomy 42: Bibliography of Material in the Charleston Free Library, compiled by Elizabeth Allen Hyde 43: Miscellaneous newspaper clippings 44: Images of John Bennett. Three printed images (1927, 1927, ca.1890) One original photograph of Bennett with children at public library (1942) 45: Miscellaneous printed matter: one printed image and map of Chillicothe, OH Folder 46: Study for oil portrait of John Bennett (c. 1930s), created by BOX 4 Mrs. B. King Couper. Framed, pigment flaking 47: Printed illustration of The Canterbury Tales, given to the Charleston County Library by John Bennett 48: Photographs of John Bennett: 4 Doris Ulmann images (3 signed, BOX 5 ca. 1927), 1 image of Bennett on Mackinac Island (ca. 1898), 1 Melchers studio portrait (ca. 1920s) 49: Clyde O. Deland illustration for Barnaby Lee (1901) 50: Pen and ink drawing of Bennett's workroom with typewriter, etc. (1896) 51: Thirteen proof sheets of silhouettes included in The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo 52: Thirteen proof sheets of silhouettes included in The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo (duplicate of Folder 51) 5

6 VII. Miscellaneous Materials 53: Eleven proof sheets of silhouettes included in The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo, some cut out 54: Two original mounted silhouettes (musicians in parade; children BOX 6 and piper piping) 55: Ten original mounted silhouettes of "Little Peter and the Giant" from The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo 56: Fourteen original mounted silhouettes of "The Cat, the Cow, the Dog and the Dairymaid" from The Pigtail of Ah Lee Ben Loo A. Remington No. 2 Typewriter, used by Bennett in composing his books. Illustrated in pen and ink drawing in Folder 50 B. Typewriter Table for Remington No. 2 (see above) 6